rudolph



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. RUDOLPH 8u 0. NATHER.

IRIS DIAPHRAGM SHUTTBB..

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` (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P; RUDOLPH 8u 0. NTHER.

vIRIS DIAPHRAGM SHUTTBR. No. 524,670.

@M @may Patentd A11 (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet v3.

P. RUDOLPH 8v 0. NTHER.

IRIS DIAPHRAGM SHUTTER.

No. 524,670. Patented Aug. 14, 1894.

In och. 1407A' QAM/ vf Hz Normes PETERS co, pnoaumo., WASH UNTTED STATES PATENT EETCE.

PAUL RUDOLPH AND oswALD NTHER, or JENA, GERMANY, AssIeNoRs To THE FIRM oE CARL zEIss, oE SAME PLAGE.

IRIS-DIAPHRAGIVI SHUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters :Patent N0. 524,670, dated August 14,1 894. Application tiled June 12, 1893. Serial No. ll77|39l (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that we, PAUL RUDOLPH, doctor of philosophy, a subject of the Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, and OSWALD NTHER, a subject of the King of Saxony, both residing at Jena, in the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, German Empire,have invented new and useful Improvements in Iris-Diaphragm Shut-- ters for Photographic Objectives, of which the following is a specification.

rlhe present invention relates to an irisdiaphragm shutter for photographic objectives and to the mechanisms for operating such diaphragm shutter for long as well as for instantaneous exposures.

The invention consists in a completely closing iris-diaphragm shutter, the construction of which is peculiar in shape, arrangement and operation of the blades so as to make it preferably appropriate to be used as a camera shutter, and in means for moving this shutter arranged in such way, that the use of the irisshutter as a mere diaphragm is not prejudiced.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l represents a front view of the iris diaphragm shutter the casing being sectioned transversely to the axis, and Fig. 2 represents a section through the iris diaphragm shutter and its casing along the axis. Figs. 3 and 4 represent a front view and a side view of the ring which embraces and operates the blades of the iris-diaphragm shutter. Fig. 5 represents a sectional View of a mechanism for operating the iris-diaphragm as a shutter arranged on the casing of the diaphragm. Fig. 6 represents a plan View of this mechanism, and Fig. 7 a. front view of the same with its cover, corresponding to the sectional view of Fig. 5. Figs. 8 and 9 represent a front-view and a side-view of a support fixed on the periphery of the shutter casing for bearing another operating mechanism. Fig. 10 represents a front-view of this mechanism itself the shutter being closed and the motive spring wound up. Fig. 11 represents a like view, the shutter being open and the mechanism stopped in its way. Fig. 12 representsabackview of the mechanism, and Fig. 13 a diametrical section through the spring casing. Fig. 14 represents another cross section of the mechanism showing other parts of it. Fig. l5 represents a perspective view of a part of the spring casing carrying some parts of the stopping device.

The casing of the iris-diaphragm shutter is formed by two circular cups a and b placed one into the other, with sufficiently wide concentrical circular apertures. On the cup a the blades c are fitted, which turn round the fixed points d. The blades c, the shape of which depends upon the required greatest opening and the number of which depends upon the required more or less circular form ot' said opening, are, at the end where they are connected to the ringf, I-shaped so as to form suitable heads guided in recesses e of the operating ring f (Figs 3 and 4). The recesses e are open at one side and their depth is gradually increasing corresponding to the different positions of the blades c, which overlap eachother successively and in parallel planes.

The material for the blades may be of any kind, also that for the other parts of the iris. It is necessary however, that the thin blades should be impermeable to actinic light, and they must not reiect actinic light nor get rusty. Thin ebonite plates are suitable for this purpose and each of them may be riveted at the exterior end to a small metal terminating into the guide head.

The shutter shown by Fig. l consists of nine blades of which eight are visible. The ninth or undermost, arranged beneath the first or plate g top-blade, serves to more eiectually exclude the light. A stud h firmly connected with the operating ring f, enables the diaphragm to be opened or closed from the outside. The lid b ot' the iris-casing affords a safe guide to the operating ring f and unites all parts of the shutter.

It the stud h is moved by hand in the direction of the arrow the shutter opens, that is to say the blades c are swung outwardly and by this produce an opening at the center of the shutter. By moving the stud h in the opposite direction the shutter is closed. The operating ring f acts on the blades near their pivoting points d and in consequence thereof it has to make but a small movement for completely opening or closing the shutter. This IOO is an important advantage if the shutter is to be opened and closed instantaneously. Another advantage as to the velocity and sureness of operatingr the shutter is presented by the very small friction of theblades c. These blades being coupled by means of the guide heads with the ring in their proper planes and the guide heads being connected with the blades also in the planes common to both, that is to say, Without intermediate parts bent at angles, there is no occasion to turn the blades out from their planes, whereby their inner extremities mightbecomehooked together, when the diaphragm is closed, or at least mightimpede each other producing great friction.

The mechanism for operating the shutter represented in Figs. 5 te 7 is moved by pneumatic or other power and is applicable for long as well asinstantaneous exposures. The mechanism is mounted on the shutter casing by means of a support i xed by screws on the periphery of the cup i). 0n the support 't' is arranged the box 7tone end of which is piveted at the point Z of the support, while the other end is kept against the support by a spring m attached to the latter, which enables this end of the box to be raised by turning an eccentric ring u surrounding it and resting on the support i.

The box .71: contains the parts serving to open the iris.

n is a rubber case which is connected air tight by a tube o with an india rubber ball not shown in the drawings.

p is a disk soldered cencentrically to a narrower hollow-cylinder q.

o' is a hook-shaped arm pivotally liked on the pin fr0 in Jthe hollow-cylinder q, and held in its position by the spring The disk p is safely guided on its periphery in the box 7c and further by means of the hollow-cylinder q which is fitted into the narrow part 7s of the box 7c, and by the pivoted part of the hook r projectingl in a corresponding slot 7c@ of the narrow part le of the box 7s. A spiralspring 'l presses the disk p with slight pressure against the case n.

The spiral spring w, fixed to the support t' or to the casing b of the shutter, and connected with stud u of the operating ring f tends to keep the shutter closed with a slight force.

For instantaneous exposures the mechanism acts in the following manner: By pressure upon the rubber ball, the case n expands and as this expansion can take place only in the direction toward the movable part consisting of the disk p, the cylinder q and the hook fr the latter is driven forward. if the box 7c lies as shown in Fig. 5 the hook r does not touch the stud c during its rectilinear movement to the right. But if the eccentric ring n is turned more orless so as to raise the left end of the bei; 71:, the hooi: fr engages the stud fu and by this opens the shutter to greater or less distance, viz., until the hook r glides over the top of the stud c. wWhen this is done, the spring tu draws back the stud c of the operating ring f, whereby the shutter is again closed as has been explained above. If the pressure upon the ball is rev leased, the hook r is also driven backward by the spring t and returns into its original pesition being allowed by the spring S te glide over the stud 'v The iris shutter is then again ready for the next exposure. By exercising a gradually increasing or a sudden strong pressure upon the ball, the time ot exposure may at will be extended or shortened.

In order to make long exposures, the backend of the box 7i; is raised by the eccentric n to lower the hook r so much that it cannot glide past fu even at the widest opening of the shutter and the latter remains open as long as the pressure upon the ball lasts. In this case the width oi' the aperture of the shutter can be regulated at will by turning more or less a cam 0c, which is horizontally arranged on the shutter casing and by which the stroke of the stud fu may be limited to a longer or shorter extent.

In order to [ix the iris diaphragm at any degree of aperture independent of the 1necl1- anism operating the same as a shutter an adjustable pin g/ (Fig. 7) is arranged on the `frontside ofthe easing ZJ ol. the iris diaphragm, opposite to a stud 7L fixed to the operating ring f and projecting through a slot D ofthe casing b. The pin g] prevents the diaphragm being closed while the spring yw working on the stud r or the suitably adjusted cam a: prevents it from being accidentally opened wider. This arrangement serves furthe ecnvenient adjustment or focusing of the image to be reproduced, and moreover enables the iris diaphragm to be conveniently used not as a shutter but only as objective diaphragm for exposures the length of which is to be limited by means of the objective protecting cap or by similar means.

The mechanism for operating the shutter as represented in Figs. i5 to l5 is provided with a motive spring, and the rapidity of its movement may be mechanically regulated. This mechanism is also fixed on the shuttercase l) by means of a support i0 screwed directly on the periphery ot' the casing D and carrying all parts oi' the mechanism. s* (Fig. 13) is the main spring fixed with its exterior end to the support at ,if (Fig. 12) and with its interior end to the spring casing e', which is pivote-d at t" in the support/i. e" is a slide which is guided in the deve-tailshaped diametrical slit ,efiof the spring easing At the point e of the lower end of this slide .e0 an arm or lever is pivoted and held in its position by the spiral spring ai at one side and the stop at the other side. A set screw e" screwed into the upper part of the spring cas ing e', and connected with the slide e serves as the means whereby the slide may be moved in its bearing, such movement being for the purpose of causing the levers'3 to project more or less from the spring casing.

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part of the spring casing z a bracket a7 isA secured, which is adapted to engage the upper arm of a bell crank lever wo pivoted on the support i0 by means of a screw wk. A handle z8 is screwed into theupper part of the spring casing, and serves for winding the spring z* by turning the spring case in a direction contrary to the arrow on Figs. 10 and l1. For catching the spring case after the spring has been wound, it is provided with a bracket 210 and a stud a, with which latter engages the hook-shaped upper arm of a lever n pivoted at 'n2 on the support 0. A spring n3 presses this arm against the bracket zw so that its hook (Fig. 14) is able to catch the stud .e6 of the spring casing. The lower arm 3 of the lever n is secured to a bellows contained in the case no, vand connected by the tube 00 with a rubber ball not shown in the drawings. By pressing the rubber ball and expanding the bellows in the casing no the lever n is turned in the direction of a watch hand and its upper extremity is disengaged from the stud Z6. Then the motive spring z* drives the spring case z in the direction of the arrow (Figs. IO and ll), and the lever z3 engages the stud h of the operating ringfof the shutter, opening the latter, until the point of the lever z3 glides over the stud h', so that the opening of the shutter is stopped. The spring case 'z in the next part of its rotary movement engages the upper shorter arm of the bell crank lever w0 by means of the bracket Z7 so as to move to the left the lower longer armof this lever, which pushes backward the stud h of the shutter. When the stud h has reached its utmost left position in the slot b of the shutter case, the shutter is closed, and the spring case z stopped by the engagement of the parts h', wo, 27.

The operation as described causes an instantaneous exposure,there being only a small rest between the opening and the closing of the shutter. The width of aperture of the shutter may be regulated by the position givenA to the slide zo by means of the screw a so as to allow the lever z3 to glide sooner or later over the stud h. To prevent the blades of the shutter from continuing on their way by inertia after the lever z3 is disengaged from the stud h so as to open the shutter wider than required and intended, a pin w is secured to the shutter case and adapted to be adjusted and to be fastened by a pinching screw 102. By this pin the stroke of the lever wo may be limited in this way, that simultaneously when the point of the lever as glides over the stud h', the stud h touches the lever wo and the latter touches the pin w.

For the purpose of being enabled to vary the time required for instantaneous exposures the mechanism may be completed by an adjustable air brake device, for example, as shown in the drawings. The piston t of the air brake cylinder t0, which latter is of the customary construction and regulated in the usual manner by the disk t', is connected with a link t2 by means of a peg t of the piston rod t8 engaging a slot 't3 of the said link. Another slot t7 of this link is engaged by the pin t4 of a crank z510 secured to the spring case z. To disconnect the spring case and the air brake, the shaft t5 of the link t2 mounted in the support o may be moved endwise by pushing the button t6 secured to it so as to disengage the slots t7 and t3 from the pins t4 and t 4of the crank and the piston rod respectively.

See Figs. 12 and 14;.

In order to use the shutter at will for exposures of any length, as well as for instantaneous exposures, as described, in the bracket 510 a shaft m2 is mounted, one end of which is provided with a peg 000 while the other end carries a handle no. By means of the latter the peg aco may be turned either to stand upward into the way of the hook shaped end of the lever fn or to lie aside under the level of the bracket zio. In the latter case the described working of the mechanism is not altered. In the first mentioned position the peg x0 is engaged by the hooked end of the lever fn which stops the movement of the spring casing, when the shutter has been opened to the required extent and before it is reclosed. When the intended time of exposure is passed, a second release of the spring casing produced by operating the pneumatic device closes the shutter by the means set forth above.

In conclusion we desire it to be understood that by our claims we intend and mean not only an iris diaphragm shutter, but a diaphragm as well, the means by which said diaphragm is adapted for both uses having been hereinbefore shown and described.

What We claim isl. In a photographic shutter the combination of the blades mounted in different planes, and an operating ring engaging directly with each of the said blades in the plane of the blade, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a photographic shutter, the combination of the casing, the blades of suitable shape, arranged in dierent planes, an operating ring provided with recesses whereby it engages with the several blades, a stud secured to the operating ring and extending outside the casing, an arm arranged to engage with the said stud when moved in one direction, means for moving the said arm, and means for moving backward the said stud, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a completely closing iris diaphragm shutter for photographic objectives the combination with suitably shaped outer ends of the iris blades, of an operating ring provided with recesses whereby it engages direct-ly with the blades overlapping each other, a stud fixed to the operating ring and projecting through the iris-casing, a spring-actuated rocking arm of adjustable length, means for releasing this arm and means for removing and catching it, a. second arm engaging the stud, pivoted at the end of the rst arm, and

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held in one direction by means of a spring and a stop, and a lever turned by the pivoted arm, when the same has passed the stud, so as to move backward the lattensubstantially for the purpose and in the manner as shown and described.

4. In a completely closing' iris diaphragm shutter for photographic objectives the cornbination with suitablyT shaped outer ends of the iris-blades of an operating ringA provided with recesses with which engage ends of the blades, a stud fixed to the operating,` ring, a spring-actuated adjustable rocking arm, a second arm pivoted on the end of the first and engaging successively the stud and a bellcrank-lever moving backward the stud, a device for stopping the movement ofthe adjust- PAUL RUDQLPII. OSVALD NATHER.

Ntnessesz CARL BORNGRAEBER, HEINRICH GUs'rAv HOEFLER. 

